Tag Archive for: Retelling

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The Immortal Throne

The Immortal ThroneTitle: The Immortal Throne
Author: Bree Despain
Series: Into the Dark #3
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Spice: 0.5 / 5
Format: Kindle
Pages: 344
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

Also in this series: The Shadow Prince, The Eternity Key
My Thoughts

I don’t know why I waited so long to read THE IMMORTAL THRONE. I knew I’d love it and I did, more than I thought I would. This was a fantastic conclusion to the trilogy. I loved that some things were left open, but most of the major things were resolved. I loved getting to spend time in both the Underrealm and Skyrealm. I loved LOVED LOVED all the mythology that went into this trilogy (and all the Star Wars references since I know Bree is a huge fan).

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The Road Of Bones

The Road Of BonesTitle: The Road of Bones
Author: Demi Winters
Series: Ashen #1
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Spice: 2.5 / 5
Format: Audio
Pages: 500
Length: 21h 15m
Narrator: Islay Jacobs
Reason Read: Book of the Month
Rating:

Also in this series: Kingdom of Claw, Roots of Darkness, Dawn of the North
My Thoughts

This book! That ending! So many secrets, so many twists. I loved it! Even though I loved the audiobook, I kinda wish I had read-read THE ROAD OF BONES so I could see all the Nordic/Icelandic spellings. I loved the whole Vikingness of the story and I loved the subtle nod to Little Red Riding Hood. The characters, the world, and the magic system were amazing. The slow-burn romance was so much fun. I didn’t even mind the subtle love triangle. I’m really excited to read KINGDOM OF CLAW and see where this story goes.

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Darling Girl

Darling GirlTitle: Darling Girl
Author: Liz Michalski
Genre: Magical Realism, Thriller
Format: Audio
Pages: 341
Length: 11h 42m
Narrator: Elizabeth Knowelden
Reason Read: Book of the Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

DARLING GIRL was a very interesting, dark twist on Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. I really enjoyed the topsy turvy nature of this story and flipping everything on its head. I thought the idea of Holly Darling looking for her daughter while trying to keep her son safe from what lurks in the shadows, windows, and wind was a fun concept.

At first, I thought Holly was selfish but as I learned more and more about the truth and what happened to her and her family, I realized that even though many of her decisions and actions were questionable, she did what she thought was best for her family. I liked her arc of character growth. I wish, however, she had done more in the story instead of relying on other people. The ending was a bit anticlimactic because of it. I also didn’t think she spent enough time with Christopher Cooke to warrant him being the love interest. I loved that he was, but I thought he needed more time and pages in the story.

Dating Dr. Dil

Dating Dr. DilTitle: Dating Dr. Dil
Author: Nisha Sharma
Series: If Shakespeare Were An Auntie #1
Genre: Romance
Spice: 3.5 / 5
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 358
Reason Read: Book of the Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

I loved DATING DR. DIL so much. I loved that it was a retelling of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Sharma did an excellent job with the execution, creating a hot steamy romance that leaves you wanting for more. I got caught up in Kareena’s and Prem’s lives and wanted to know how their story would end. I also really loved the double POV and being in both of their heads. The enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my favorites and DATING DR. DIL did not disappoint. Kareena and Prem had so much chemistry together, including awesome bantering and amazing sexual tension.

I especially enjoyed being a part of Kareena’s and Prem’s culture. I honestly didn’t know much about the American desi culture. I loved all the descriptions of the clothing, parties, and food. Oh the food! I’m now craving Indian from my favorite local restaurant. The strong familial influence, sometimes to the detriment of the characters mental health, and the pressure for Indian women to be married and having kids before 30 really resonated with me.

My one gripe was the fact that I couldn’t get past a few descriptions of Prem’s manhood. I mean calling his penis Charlie is one thing, but acting like “Charlie” is a sentient being was just too much for me.

The Wife Upstairs

The Wife UpstairsTitle: The Wife Upstairs
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Thriller
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 290
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I don’t know anything about Jane Eyre, at all. I’ve never read the book and I haven’t seen any of the movies / TV shows. I was drawn to THE WIFE UPSTAIRS by its title and cover. When I discovered it was a retelling of JANE EYRE, I decided to look up the setting and main characters so I’d have a little bit of reference. Most retellings I’ve read are far more subtle than this seemed to be. (I read the plot of JANE EYRE after I finished because I wanted to see how similar the stories were.)

I hated reading Bea’s POV. Although, she surprised me because I never guessed she was an unreliable narrator and the true antagonist. I didn’t mind Eddie’s POV near the end of the novel. His section was actually my favorite part of the whole book. Even though I didn’t want Jane to end up with him because of what he had done, I wanted her to find out the full truth and she never did.

There has been a huge debate in my book club for years regarding JANE EYRE. A couple of people love it and think it’s a beautifully written gothic romance. Others hate everything about it. I feel like I’d be in the latter camp, but I’m not sure. Too bad I have no desire to read the source material, lol.